Where to be and when
The tour begins with a Welcome Meeting in Dublin. Your welcome email confirms the hotel and the exact time — aim to arrive with enough time to check in and settle before we start.
🕔 Welcome Meeting
Our first group get-together is at 5:00 PM in the hotel lobby, ahead of the Welcome Dinner.
Before 5:00 PM is your own time — check in, freshen up, have a look around. Just plan to be back in the lobby on time for our group start.
🏨 Hotel check-in
Check-in is typically available from 3:00 PM. If you arrive earlier, most hotels will store your main luggage at reception until your room is ready.
If you have some time before check-in, it is a nice opportunity to explore a little at your own pace before the tour begins.
✈️ Airport transfers
Trafalgar offers complimentary Day 1 airport transfers at set times. Please check your joining documents and welcome email for the exact timings and where to meet.
Once you have collected your luggage and come through arrivals, look out for your Trafalgar host — they will be looking out for you too, so just make eye contact and introduce yourself.
Complimentary transfers run at set times and cannot be held — if you miss yours, official taxis from Dublin Airport are easy to find and the hotel is straightforward to reach.
If you have a private transfer booked through Trafalgar, the details and instructions will be in your joining documents.
🧭 Dublin Airport meeting points
These photos show the two Trafalgar meeting points inside Dublin Airport arrivals — for travellers using the complimentary Day 1 transfer only.
T1: After customs, look left for ICE Currency Exchange in the main arrivals hall.
T2: After customs, look straight ahead for the yellow sculpture in the concourse.
If you are on a private transfer, follow the details in your joining documents instead.
What stays with you
One habit makes travel days much easier: keep the important things in your day bag, not your main suitcase.
🛂 Passport & travel documents
Know where your passport is at all times, and keep it with you — not packed in your main suitcase — on days when we have a ferry crossing or cross a border.
It is also good habit to carry some form of ID on your person day to day: passport, national ID card or driving licence all work.
✅ Day bag essentials
Your main suitcase goes into the coach hold on travel days and may not be accessible until you reach the hotel. Keep anything you might need during the day with you:
- Glasses, contact lenses or hearing aids
- Medication and prescription items
- Phone, charger and any cables
- Cards, cash and travel money
- A waterproof layer — this is Ireland and Scotland
A useful rule: if you would miss it for a few hours, it belongs in your day bag.
Before you pack
These are the details that tend to make the biggest practical difference.
👟 Walking shoes
This tour covers a lot of ground on foot — castle grounds, old city streets, historic sites and longer sightseeing days. Comfortable, well-worn shoes make a real difference across the whole tour, not just on one day.
If you are unsure which pair to bring, bring your most comfortable ones.
🌦️ Weather and layers
Weather across Ireland and Scotland can shift quickly — within a few hours, and from one region to the next. You might get a bit of everything in one day, which is fairly normal here.
A waterproof jacket you trust, a mid-layer, and comfortable shoes will do most of the heavy lifting. Forecasts are useful but treat them as a guide rather than a guarantee.
– A local favourite in both countries
🔌 Power adapters
Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland all use the same plug — the UK Type G, with three rectangular pins. One adapter covers the entire tour.
If you are travelling from outside the UK or Ireland, you will need one. A universal travel adapter with USB and USB-C ports is the simplest all-in-one solution.
🧳 Packing
Pack for usefulness rather than volume. Most people bring more than they use — and on a tour with several hotel changes, lighter luggage is noticeably easier to live with.
We use audio listening devices on walking tours — disposable wired headphones are provided. These are not Bluetooth, so wireless earbuds will not connect. You are welcome to bring your own wired pair if you prefer.
On a tour of this length, most people are glad of a chance to do some laundry. We can usually arrange this at our two-night stays — most often Killarney and Glasgow.
The rhythm of it
From Dublin to the west of Ireland, north across the border and then on the ferry over to Scotland. We cover a lot of ground in our 15 days together — and you feel every bit of it.
Some days are about the journey itself. Looking out the window and seeing the landscape change as we travel between Irish & Scottish counties. From coastal road, through towns and villages and winding through countryside.
Other days are about history and culture. Learning what has shaped these places, meeting locals and hearing their side of the story.
Experiencing the weather. Rain in the morning, sunshine by lunchtime, jacket back on in the evening.
There will be some earlier starts and longer days, but it's all for good reason and you'll settle into the rhythm surprisingly quickly.
I'll always let you know what's coming up, what to bring for the day, and anything worth knowing before we set off.
🚌 On the coach
Seat rotation happens daily, and I'll explain the system clearly on Day One.
Snacks are absolutely fine. Just avoid hot food, hot drinks and anything likely to melt, spill or perfume the entire coach by lunchtime. Please keep your seat area tidy — it's a shared space and it makes a real difference to everyone's day.
On the day of our ferry crossing, your main suitcase travels with the coach — keep your day bag with you, and a layer handy for the sailing.
Seatbelts on whenever you are seated — it's a simple habit that matters.
🚻 Comfort stops
We plan regular comfort stops along the way. There may also be a WC on board the coach, but most people find the stops easier.
When getting on and off the coach, take your time and use the handrail.
🏨 Hotels vary
One night you may be in a modern hotel; the next in a more historic property with a different character and layout. That variety is part of travelling through Ireland and Scotland rather than staying in one standard hotel every night.
Air conditioning is not common in Ireland and Scotland — it is simply not part of the building culture here. If your room feels warm, reception can sometimes provide a fan.
🚗 Our Driver
Our Driver is a huge part of what makes the journey run smoothly — navigating a coach through Ireland and Scotland, including some of the narrower roads and longer touring days, takes real skill and concentration.
By the end of the tour, most groups have a genuine appreciation for just how much goes into it.
⏰ Tour timings & inclusions
Our days run to a schedule. Being ready on time — for departures, meals and activities — keeps things on track for everyone in the group.
I'll always let you know what's coming up and what to be prepared for. All we ask is that you're there on time, ready to go.
🔒 Security
Keep your passport, cards and valuables secure and close to you, particularly in busier city areas and at transport hubs. A small bag that stays close to your body is worth considering on busier sightseeing days.
A little awareness in crowded places goes a long way.
I use WhatsApp for simple reminders and day-to-day updates while we are travelling. It is optional, but it usually makes the small daily details easier.
- 1Download and set up WhatsApp before you travel if you do not already use it. Download WhatsApp
- 2Save my number — it is in your welcome email, or use the WhatsApp link at the top of this page.
- 3Send me a message with your name so I know you are set up.
If you are planning to rely on mobile data, it is worth checking roaming options with your provider before travel. Some people use an eSIM as a simple alternative for staying connected across multiple countries.
If you'd rather not use WhatsApp, that's fine — everything important will still reach you.
A few practical things for later
You do not need to make all of these decisions before we meet. They become much easier once you can see the pace of the tour and what suits you.
⭐ Optional experiences
In my experience, the optionals are often what people remember most.
An evening in stunning Stirling with a piper. Rosslyn Chapel, where the stonework has puzzled historians for centuries. Ancient Glendalough — a sixth-century monastery tucked into the Wicklow Mountains, far older than most things you'll see on any tour. Dublin Dinner and Irish Show. A ceilidh evening — a must when visiting the British Isles. A cruise on Loch Lomond. The Isle of Skye. These aren't things that are easy to organise on your own, in a country you don't know, on a schedule that moves quickly. On this tour, they're ready to go — transport, entry, everything taken care of, perfectly timed within the day.
I'll walk you through everything during the tour. My honest advice? Do them. I've been travelling most of my life, and the times I've passed on something — thinking it was too expensive, or I'd come back another day — those are the ones I still think about. Skipping something and regretting it costs more in the long run than just doing it. And you may not pass this way again.
Unless something really doesn't appeal to you, I'd say yes.
💳 Money & cards
Cards are widely accepted, but a small amount of cash can still be useful for smaller cafes, markets and local purchases.
The Republic of Ireland uses the Euro (€). Northern Ireland and Scotland use Pounds Sterling (£). You will cross between the two currency zones during the tour — small ATM withdrawals as you go are usually simpler than carrying large amounts of both from home.
💶 Gratuities
When you're out during free time, if the service is good — tip. A few pounds or euros at the end of a good meal is always appreciated.
On the tour itself, porterage and restaurant tips on included meals are already taken care of. Tips for your Travel Director and Driver are separate unless you've pre-paid through Trafalgar. Local Specialists — the guides who join us in specific cities and regions — are separate again. Good ones are hard to find, and a small tip at the end of their time with the group is customary and well received.
Guidance on suggested amounts is in your Trafalgar documents, and you can always ask me on tour. This does not need to be solved on the first morning.
Questions before we begin?
Save my contact now, and keep your official joining instructions somewhere easy to find. That is enough for the moment.
Joel Plunkett
Travel Director · Trafalgar
Phone / WhatsApp
WhatsApp is usually the easiest way to reach me during the trip.
Urgent before departure?
Before the tour begins, I may occasionally be travelling or finishing another tour, but I will always get back to you as soon as I can.
If something is time-sensitive before Day 1, please check your welcome email for European Guest Services contact details.
Once we are together, things usually become much more straightforward day to day.
Final note
Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland — there is a lot ahead of us, and I'm looking forward to every part of it. 🍀 See you in Dublin.